悪妻は百年の不作。 (Akusai wa hyaku-nen no fusaku) Literally: A bad wife spells a hundred years of bad harvest.
This means: A bad wife is a ruin of her husband.
残り物には福がある。 (Nokorimono ni wa fuku ga aru) Literally: Luck exists in the leftovers.
This means: There is luck in the last helping.
虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず。 (Koketsu ni irazunba koji wo ezu) Literally: If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub.
This means: Nothing ventured, nothing gained. / You can't do anything without risking something.
夏炉冬扇 （karo tōsen) Literally: Summer heater winter fan
This means: Something which is out of season and therefore rendered useless.
花鳥風月 (Kachou Fuugetsu) Literally: Flower, Bird, Wind, Moon
This means: Experience the beauties of nature, and in doing so learn about yourself.
起死回生 (kishi kaisei) Literally: Wake from death and return to life
This means: To come out of a desperate situation and make a complete return in one sudden burst.
自業自得 (Jigou Jitoku) Literally: One's Act, One's profit/Advantage.
This means: That's what you get, Just desserts, You reap what you sow.
瓜田李下 (kaden rika) Literally: Melon field, under a plum tree
This means: Stepping into a melon field, standing under a plum tree (, such behavior causes misunderstanding that you want to steal those fruits); implying that you must avoid actions which could be taken on a bad faith.
晴天の霹靂 (Seiten no heki-reki) Literally: Thunderclap from a clear sky.
This means: A bolt from the blue. / A complete surprise.
猿も木から落ちる。 (Saru mo ki kara ochiru) Literally: Even monkeys fall from trees.
This means: Everyone makes mistakes. / Nobody's perfect.
蓼食う虫も好き好き (Tade kuu mushi mo sukizuki) Literally: There are even bugs that eat knotweed.
This means: There's no accounting for taste. / To each his own.
井の中の蛙大海を知らず。 (I no naka no kawazu taikai wo shirazu) Literally: A frog in a well does not know the great sea.
This means: People are satisfied to judge things by their own narrow experience, never knowing of the wide world outside.
蛙の子は蛙。 (Kaeru no ko wa kaeru) Literally: Child of a frog is a frog.
This means: Like father, like son.
鳶が鷹を産む。 (Tonbi (or Tobi) ga taka wo umu) Literally: A kite breeding a hawk.
This means: A splendid child born from common parents.
覆水盆に帰らず。 (Fukusui bon ni kaerazu) Literally: Spilt water will not return to the tray.
This means: It's no use crying over spilt milk. / A separated couple can never go back to as it was.
二兎を追う者は一兎をも得ず。 (Ni usagi wo ou mono wa ichi usagi wo mo ezu) Literally: One who chases after two hares won't catch even one.
This means: Trying to do two things at once will make you fail in both.
継続は力なり。 (Keizoku wa chikara nari) Literally: Continuance (also) is power/strength.
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Classic Japanese Poems & Quotes
PoetryA collection of Japanese quotes, poems, and Japanese expressions romanized and written in both Japanese and English. A very well written and artful writings by inspired Japanese authors and also by our noble ancestors such as legendary writers, rev...
